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Supplement to Te Awamutu Courier, Tuesday, April 21, 2009 PLUMBING 6805929AA Urban and Rural Specialists For honest and efficient service • Plumbing • Water Tanks • Roofing • Spouting • Gas Fitting • Drainage • Plumbing Supplies For all your plumbing and heating GAS & WOOD requirements talk to the firm that has been serving Te Awamutu since 1949. 6805940AA SINGLETON and HANSEN Master Plumbers PLUMBING LTD 129 MARKET STREET, TE AWAMUTU • PH (07) 871 7099 • FAX (07) 871 8435 2 RURAL ROUNDUP, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 ‘Go Dairy’ campaign features local faces ocal farmer Phil Empson and his Te L Kawa shed manager Rochelle Keyte are two of the faces of the ‘Go Dairy’ campaign which was launched last month. The DairyNZ campaign has the bold aim of ‘recruiting the hearts and minds of all New Zea- landers’. DairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle says they want New Zealanders to be proud of their position as the world’s best pastoral dairy farmers. For the past five years Go Dairy had focused on encouraging career changers to give farming a go. However, Dr Mackle says as a growing industry dairying needs more than career changers if it is to continue being the country’s economic powerhouse. ‘‘Dairy farming’s future TC210409RR02 relies on having a much FARM owners Phil and Julia Empson with shed manager Rochelle Keyte closer relationship with New (left). The advanced technology used in the new milking shed was one of the Zealand society, to achieve a reasons the 410ha Te Kawa property was featured. During the television better understanding promotions Rochelle can be seen cupping cows, while Phil and Rochelle amongst policy makers, and both endorse the benefits of dairy farming. to attract new talent into dairying, from urban as well ture as a career.’’ highly skilled and focused is in the air-conditioned as rural backgrounds. Dr Mackle says research young men and women. office. ‘‘Media reports certainly shows most urban people Their business is Increasingly, young show a high level of appreci- don’t even think about dairy information-based and it people starting dairy farm- ation for the economic farming as a career, or as a provides them with a con- ing either have, or work impact of dairying. career option for them. stant set of challenges and towards, higher ‘‘But this doesn’t neces- ‘‘People unfamiliar with decision-making opportun- qualifications. Twenty per sarily translate into people farming often regard the job ities every day of the year. cent of workers in the agri- seeing dairy farming as a as long hours, poorly paid Many dairy farmers use cultural industry now have a career opportunity. and low skilled. computers and PDAs to run bachelor’s degree or higher. ‘‘We will be successful ‘‘These perceptions are all aspects of their busi- Most of the remaining 80 871 5609 ALL HOURS when more school leavers wrong.’’ nesses, and the mobile per cent have vocational and start to consider studies in He says today’s dairy phone is as important in the school qualifications. 6805907AA farming and viewing agricul- farmers are well educated, air-conditioned tractor as it To page 15. The Bloody Marvellous GPS guidancesystem for and agriculture mapping NO.1 We are the specialists in all fertiliser, lime and high ALSO AVAILABLE: analysis groundspreading. • MINI SPREADERS • ORCHARD SPREADERS • ORGANIC FERTILISER SPREADERS We have the latest 4WD groundspreading trucks. • LOADER FOR ON FARM JOBS Plus, for your convenience we All equipped with flotation tyres and latest computer have our own bulk stores. systems including Tracmap GPS for precise fertiliser So for a first class job at a fair application. and competitive price. All trucks are Certified Phone Tony 07 871 6281 DEPOT: 126 Paterangi Road, Te Awamutu Fax: 07 871 8532, Mobile: 0800 923 883 6812730AA RURAL ROUNDUP, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 3 Farmers open gates for Alpaca Day TC210409RR03A TC210409RR3B BETRON stud owners Ron and Beth Guest of Puahue show the depth of fibre on one of their alpacas. NEWEST addition at Julie and Grant Mansell’s Riverdale Alpacas. f you’ve every thought alpacas were ‘‘Soon we were hooked on shows - eczema and grass staggers.’’ put off by the cost. With only around now taking.’’ cute, but didn’t know anything about the animals are easy to transport in our They don’t eat a lot of grass, 5000 alpacas in New Zealand at that The Mansells have constructed a I them here’s your chance to find out. horse float. preferring lucerne chaff, hay and pellets - time, we were not confident that the purpose-built shed for the mill alongside A number of farms are opening their ‘‘We have found people involved are with zinc in to avoid facial eczema. alpaca population would support the their Alpaca shop and are now awaiting gates for the inaugural National Alpaca very helpful and friendly - obviously the ‘‘You do also have to be a little careful mill. arrival of machinery from the USA. Day on May 3. shows are competitive, but they are still with their diet as they can get fat ‘‘Now we have some 15,000 alpacas Riverdale Fibre Mill is expected to be Ron and Beth Guest operate Betron very enjoyable.’’ quickly.’’ in New Zealand and the National Herd is operational within the next two months Stud on Puahue Road. The couple have found out a lot more The alpacas are shorn annually and growing. and has been designed to provide the Like many people attending National about the fibre and its uses. the beautiful fibre is used in range of ‘‘We feel confident that our original ‘lifestyle’ alpaca farmer with a cost Fieldays they saw a display of alpacas ‘‘We initially got white alpacas garments. thought to offer a service where smaller effective option for processing their fibre and were intrigued. because we were told the fibre could ‘‘Alpaca fibre doesn’t have lanolin in breeders could process their fleece into yarn. Beth in particular was keen to get then be dyed any colour. But we soon it. It is very warm, very light and is without having to combine it into a larger ‘‘We will be able to process both Suri, some for their fibre, but Ron took a little realised there are 25 natural colours, so beautiful in knitted and felted garments. run will be viable. Huacaya and blends with staple lengths more convincing. we felt we would rather expand our ‘‘The beauty of the product is that it is It took the Mansells several years of 45mm to 230mm. ‘‘We eventually visited Chris Leech’s stock, as we prefer the natural colours. low irritant, so people who can’t wear searching the internet for manufacturers ‘‘Our machinery will provide a full property at Karapiro. I wanted to get ‘‘We now have 19 alpacas and are woollen garments often prefer alpaca.’’ of suitable small mill equipment. mill processing operation for smaller two, but it was actually Ron that decided into our second year of a breeding The Guest’s alpacas are shorn by Being from Yorkshire stock in the batches, we can cater from single fleeces on three. programme. Julie Mansell at Riverdale Alpacas UK, Mrs Mansell felt there should still be to large batch runs. ‘‘So George, Villie and Pickle came ‘‘Ultimately around 30 would be the (Honikiwi Road, Otorohanga). some machines around from the heyday ‘‘This is not a mini mill system where to live with us in 2005, just before the ideal number on our property.’’ Julie and her husband Grant are of the milling industry in Saltaire and the machinery has been built for the Alpaca Expo at Mystery Creek. Mr Guest says the alpacas are good currently setting up a mill, specifically for Halifax where she grew up. cottage industry, but commercially built ‘‘We decided to take them along to natured, inquisitive animals and gener- processing alpaca fibre. ‘‘I am not sure that we found those and ex-industrial machines scaled down show them and they all picked up ally easy to care for. ‘‘Originally we had looked at the Mini machines, but we did find some suitable for a bespoke operation.’’ placings. ‘‘But they can be prone to facial Mill system back in 2004, but had been machinery and began the path we are For more see www.alpaca.org.nz COLORADO Lease Packages CREW CAB 4X2 LT CREW CAB 4X4 LT Mannual Mannual $635* $675* *Monthly payments based on 48 months/60,000kms, non maintenance operational lease, excludes initial on road cost and GST, subject to normal lending criteria. Offer expires 30/04/09 6806597AA A/hrs: Stu Tervit (07) 871 4700, 0274 827 856 • John Hare (07) 871 3794, 0274 427 856 • Allan Patterson (07) 871 3956, 0273 427 853 • Email: [email protected] 4 RURAL ROUNDUP, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 RURAL ROUNDUP, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2009 5 60th for Rural Women Pokuru okuru Rural Women celebrated their 60th Jubilee with a P special luncheon at Whitby Homestead last month — held to the day of the 60th birthday. Past and present members cele- brated the successes of the organisa- tion over six decades, as well as renewing friendships and making new ones. The gathering was entertained by the Pokuru School Choir in the morning and St Joseph Singers from Morrinsville in the afternoon. Of special importance was the cutting of the cake by founding club member Agnes Knight, joined by newest member Patsy Hancock. ment was the naming of fellow They assist members of their Harker, Jocelyn Jefferies, Geraldine Then Pokuru Women’s Division member, now deceased Bubbles community in times of sickness and Douch, Dora Jackson, June Lambeth federated farmers was formed on Jones, as Blue Queen for the Te bereavement with visits and baking.

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